


Going Back to Childhood

by Carrie_oke



Category: Dexter's Laboratory, Ed Edd n Eddy, Johnny Bravo (Cartoon), Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 14:30:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2736065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carrie_oke/pseuds/Carrie_oke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Has it really been ten years since the summer of 1999? Violet finds it hard to believe. But it has been that long since she was six, and now her mom's started talking about colleges.</p><p>Suddenly, she fully realizes that soon, she'll be a legal adult, with an income, taxes, and an obligation to do her own laundry. But that's not what's really bothering her. It's her mom's insinuation that maybe she should get rid of her Buttercup pillow.</p><p>She'll take the laundry, she'll take the job, and she'll even take the taxes. Growing up at least means freedom, right? But if it also means giving up things you love for no reason other than how old you are, Violet would rather stay six forever.</p><p>Yeah, that's it. Go back to that time when her biggest concern was whether she could get home from the pool in time for the new episode of a favorite cartoon. That sounds great, even if it is just for a day.</p><p>And she makes this request while that creepy, static-y antenna TV her dad won't give up is in the room. Maybe THAT'S why she's suddenly animated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going Back to Childhood

 Every day in English class, the teacher gives us this "Writer's Journal." Basically, he writes a prompt on the board, and we have to answer it in writing. Last Wednesday, the prompt was, "Describe the best day of your life."

And I thought, that's so unfair. How can he expect us to pick just ONE best day? We've all been around for at least fifteen years, and there's 365 days in a year, so together that's...a lot of days. I know _I_ can't pick a best one.

But there's one I know that comes pretty close: Friday, June 11, 1999.

It was ten days after my sixth birthday, and we were FINALLY getting around to celebrating. It was well worth the wait, though, because we'd just joined the best pool club EVER. Okay, maybe there were better pool clubs out there, but six-year-old me didn't care. She just wanted to swim all day. With the occasional break to play on the playground with her sister Kelly.

My favorite moment from that day WOULD have been when Kelly pretended her pool noodle was a snake monster so we could have the slide to ourselves, if it hadn't been for what I did later that night. I'm so glad I turned on the TV.

Most people would say that pool noodle snake monsters guarding slides are much more exciting than watching TV, but that summer wouldn't have been complete without my cartoons. That night, I happened to find Cartoon Network.

Dexter, the Powerpuffs, and the rest are, like, the symbols of my childhood. They've been constant companions ever since that fateful day, and it was always great to sit down and see them after a fun day at the pool. Sure, I got to see them practically every day for years afterward, but it all started that June of 1999.

Hey, wait a minute. Today's April 13, 2009. It's been almost TEN YEARS since then.

Where did all that time go? I could have sworn I was begging my mom to buy me that Buttercup pillow, like, last November. But it was actually a few Novembers before that. It's hard to believe, since that Buttercup is still resting comfortably on my bed, in pretty good condition. Leaning a bit to the left, though.

As I go to adjust her, I hear a knock on my door. "Come in!" I say.

The door opens, and behind it stands Mom. "I have a couple of questions for you, Violet," she says.

"What are they?" I ask.

"Well, you're almost sixteen now," she replies, "so its' time to start thinking about your future." THIS doesn't sound good. "I want to start looking at colleges for you. What are you thinking about attending?"

"College? I haven't really thought about it yet." Normally, I would say that it's too early to think about this kind of thing, but I'm gonna be a junior next year. College isn't THAT far off. And the fact that this is a reasonable thing to ask is actually kinda scary.

Because in two and a half years, I'm gonna be on my own. Sure, I'll have freedom, but with freedom comes responsibility. And I'm not ready to manage my own money! Or do my own laundry! I feel like I want to postpose freshman year of college. Or at least postpone thinking about it.

Thankfully, Mom assures me, "You still have time. No need to rush things." Then she moves on. "But you're running out of time to plan your Sweet Sixteen! Have you decided what you want to do yet?"

Oh, yeah. My birthday's in less than two months. I glance at my pillow and immediately get an idea. "A Powerpuff Girls party!"

"Honey, are you sure?" Mom asks. "That's not exactly...age appropriate. Don't you have any _new_ interests?"

"You want me to have a reality show party?"

"Not necessarily. Your hobbies just need a bit of updating, is all." She looks at my bed. "And your room could use some redecorating."

I follow her gaze to the Buttercup pillow. Is she suggesting that I get rid of it? I don't think I want to ask. And I can't, anyway, because soon she says, "If you need me, I'll be folding laundry," and leaves, closing the door behind her.

I crawl up to my pillow and squeeze it protectively. You know, up until this point, I was okay with growing up eventually. Sure, I'd have my own finances to deal with, and my own cleaning, but as long as I could keep liking what I did, it'd be fine. But getting rid of my Buttercup pillow? Getting rid of the cartoons and precious memories that make up an important part of me, just because I'm older now? Is that what growing up means?

Well, if it is, then I don't want to grow up. Those Maturity Police can't control me. I'm gonna keep watching the shows of my childhood whether people like it or not! And besides, Dad gets to keep his ancient TV, and in a couple months, it's not even gonna work anymore!

Speaking of that TV, I left the book I was reading in that room. I should probably go get that.

So I emerge from my bedroom, run downstairs, and enter the basement. The TV room down there is behind its own door, and the room has no windows. On top of that, the lightbulb needs changing. So it's pretty unsettling in there.

But the worst part is the TV itself. It's scratched all over, and one of the knobs is broken. So is one of the little legs it stands on, so it's constantly leaning to the left. Dad never remembers to turn it off. And for some reason, he keeps changing it to a channel where there's no broadcast, so when I go in, it's usually turned to static.

This time, I reach to turn it off immediately, but something stops me. It's like the TV's saying, "DON'T. YOU. DARE." And I feel like I have no choice but to obey.

So instead, I frantically look for my book in the dim light. It's at the foot of the couch, and I pick it up. I'm about to leave when I spot something pretty interesting.

Even in the low lighting, I can see that it's a TV Guide issue from 1999. And it has my doodles all over it! There's also an old piece of computer paper jammed in there. When I take it out, see that it has a crudely drawn swimming pool, with a crudely drawn little girl labeled "me" happily swimming in it. I don't even remember drawing this!

Still, I'm glad I found it. Look at how happy little six-year-old me is, kicking around with her pool noodle. At least, I think that's a pool noodle. What else would a purple curved thing be?

I gaze fondly at the dimly lit picture. "Yeah, those were the days," I comment out loud. "I wish I could go back."

Just as I finish my sentence, the TV static gets louder. And did I walk closer to that thing without realizing it? I take a step back, but then I feel something pushing me closer. Soon, I have no control over where I'm going, and OH NO I'M GONNA SMACK INTO THE TV! I brace myself for impact.

The funny thing is, impact doesn't happen. Instead, I find myself swimming through a sea of TV static. I FEEL like TV static, too. It's that tingly feeling you get when your foot falls asleep, only all over your body. Okay, what's going on?

Before I can come up with a good theory, impact happens. It was just late. But instead of smacking into a TV, I smack into a floor, and definitely not the dirty carpeted floor of the basement TV. It feels cold, hard, and clean.

And from somewhere in the room, I hear a very familiar voice shout, "DEE DEE!"


End file.
